Hail to the Chief

This weekend Asheville North Carolina welcomes President and Mrs. Obama for a quick weekend getaway. Their specific agenda is, of course, undisclosed though  we do "know" (some sources still say this is a rumor) they will be staying at the Grove Park Inn and that everyone who who visits Asheville wants to see Biltmore (Mrs. Obama might particularly like the gardens). We also know that there will be traffic problems and a few inconveniences like the cancellation of the free hot air balloon rides at RiverLink's Earth Day Celebration. But there has already been national publicity about the visit on ABC News, local media and dozens of Blogs. After a challenging winter, record cold and snow and a still struggling economy the high-profile boost to mountain tourist industries is welcomed. We hope they will enjoy  western North Carolina, even in such a short period of time, and absorb some of the peace and spiritual renewal our beautiful mountains bestow upon the rest of us every day.